Benin

Biggest season ever, the optimism and hope is really at full pelt... Who'd thought that 5 years ago?

Are the UK public more excited about story driven rides though? Sub Terra (when open), hasn't seen a queue since it first opened... It's also not a great example of great storytelling, what with the poor ending... I like it, don't get me wrong, but if it were something the GP were after, it wouldn't be walk-on 99% of the time... Ghost isn't story based at all... It's a walkthrough of a Haunted House (with optional high quality Mirror Maze) with no real rhyme or reason behind why... It does have backstory dotted around, but it isn't expressly told to you via the ride itself... Sure there's the ride portion with the mad scientist, but this is pretty much done in about 5 seconds... Mystery Castle (the ride Ghost is quite obviously ripping off), does things a lot better in a story sense... Hex is about the only real example the UK has of a real story driven attraction (at a theme park)... It has that set introduction, middle and finale that all works well together, something most Madhouses do well anyway (some more than others obviously, a lot of Madhouses struggle because I'm an ignorant English person who doesn't understand the strange foreign tongues)... Remember when Merlin tacked on a story to Zufari? That worked out well for them didn't it? Given Smiler's popularity (prior to the crash), I would say that the GP are still after the big intense rides over story driven rides... I don't particularly think Merlin have the ability to produce a true world class dark ride when they're being run by accountants...

I think the best news is that you can have a cheeky Nandos before you fly at Gatwick South Terminal... Also Beaconsfield Services on the M40 (the one with the Spoons)...

Also, Merlin love an IP, whether it's actually good or not... It's certainly not outside the realms of possibility that we'll see an IP latched onto this... Especially as we know that dark rides aren't particularly easy to market with USPs, another Merlin favourite...

How much is being spent on the IP?

There is barely enough space to put a decent sized flat ride, let alone a Wacky Worm or anything bigger...

I would say the Saw to Swarm rise in costs was because B&M is expensive and Gerstlauer is cheap...

If the placing of the spot is to be believed, this would replace the crappy upcharge attractions by Peeking Heights... Preferably, they'd get rid of both the upcharge AND Peeking Heights...

"First new ride since Peeking Heights"? What awful reporting... Wouldn't get too excited, it's only gonna be a small flat of some form...

I'm sure there was an image of what the bus ride at Shrek looked like... If someone could produce it (either the planning version or an actual photo), then we can compare effectively... From what I can determine though it's just a simulator and doesn't move on a track forwards into a screen area...

FINALLY I can post this picture of Movie Park Germany's Immersive Tunnel! Notice the giant pit, something that doesn't appear in Thorpe's current construction site...

That people are returning is also part of the problem... I get people enjoy their visits to the park and stuff, but if you keep going (even if you complain every single time you do), then you're not helping things get better... Sad but true...

Secret dark ride is secretive... Expecting an IP then, or some form of strange sponsorship relation to the ride's MYSTERY...

So, having visited Tayto Park today, a few remarks: Currently, there isn't much around, but plenty of room for expansion, with plans afoot. Very busy today, which can only be considered a good thing. Factory Tour was disappointing unfortunately. Cu Chulainn, is fantastic, with only one real flaw in the overbanked turn being a bit iffy. However the layout is rather relentless, coupled with the Timberliners making it an airtime machine from start to finish. The first drop is unbelievably good in the back row to boot. Who've thought Ireland would produce one of the best coasters the British Isles have seen in years? Hopefully the bright future will go full force, because there is tonnes of potential awaiting this park once they find their feet.

Let's be realistic Mark, if it's better than Valhalla then you can start buying people pints

Shame, but the amount of kids you'd see climbing over them makes it no surprise at all...

Never argue with a maths student on numbers...

Stop the cars crashing probably...

Probably the first RMC I like the look of, possibly because it's not doing any stupid inversions and stuff... The quadruple down looks amazing, and it has the terrain factor to consider too... Can't always be groundbreaking or unique, aside from the launch of course, it's not unique... Shame it'll take the shine away from any parks planning a similar addition in the near future...

Yes, we get it that you think it's an Immersive Tunnel... As much as I enjoyed the one in Germany, I kinda hope it isnt one, purely because it really would be a rather disappointing addition compared to, well, any dark ride type we could have... Also, it doesn't seem to have the right flooring for the tunnel attraction, as there should be a space in the floor for the track/moving parts...

I would say buy the Express thing, but given how pretty much all the AP holders will also have it I really don't see any value in it whatsoever... I'd hit up Sequoia Adventure (and surrounding rides) as soon as they open at like, 11 I think... Maybe 12... Whenever they do...

I think Towers (and Phalanx Control) have defined it as an 'intruder'... So perhaps it is a hoax... Perhaps not... You can never tell easily these days to be fair...

If they had a hotel stay included in that price then I'm sure loads of people would be more up for it...

Given that: 1 - No park ever gives out full refunds 2 - Power cuts aren't exactly the fault of the park Free return tickets are the standard in the situation... I don't know exactly what you expect the parks to do when an unplanned incident forces mass closures... Though I'm sure if guests contacted the park for further discussions they would be open to it...

Disgusting double standards from people on here, can you not see that station building structure? Everyone frothing over Thorpe's one and yet this one, which looks just as good, gets no reaction whatsoever... Disappointing really...